28 July,2026 07:40 AM IST | Mumbai | Rajendra B. Aklekar
The north end of Guru Tegh Bahadur Nagar railway station, which is being revamped under the ambitious Mumbai Urban Transport Project III. Pics/Rajendra B Aklekar
The humble Guru Tegh Bahadur Nagar railway station will be the first such facility on Central Railway's Harbour line to be upgraded into a modern multi-level hub replete with elevated decks, new foot overbridges, and a skywalk. The work, which is being carried out by the Mumbai Railway Vikas Corporation (MRVC) under the Mumbai Urban Transport Project (MUTP) III, will be completed by March 2027 if all goes according to plan.
According to officials, platforms are being extended to accommodate longer trains, but there are no immediate plans to run 15-car trains on the Harbour line any time soon. mid-day first reported on plans to upgrade GTB Nagar station seven years ago when there were plans to introduce a third goods line on Mumbai Port Trust, but the project had since been shelved.
What was once just a blueprint has now become concrete reality. Massive concrete pillars, new platform structures and elevated decks are now rising north of the existing Harbour line station, marking the beginning of an ambitious transformation project.
An MRVC spokesperson said the project involves extending the existing island platform 1/2 to 330 metres, making it suitable for future 15-car suburban train operations. A new 330-metre-long home platform, 1A, is also being constructed on the western side of the station, complete with a covered platform."
"To improve passenger movement, a new skywalk is being built on the western side of platform 1A, connecting the northern end of the existing road overbridge (ROB) to a new foot overbridge (FOB) at the Kurla end. Two additional six-metre-wide FOBs are also being constructed - one at the Kurla end and another at the southern end of the existing ROB," the spokesperson added.
The station is being readied as part of a long-pending plan to facilitate the reconstruction of the existing road overbridge, which currently passes over the station. Once the new alignment is ready, the existing platforms will be assimilated, allowing the bridge to be rebuilt without disrupting suburban rail services.
>> 15-car ready
>> Platform 1/2 extended (north side) to 330m with covered platform for 15-car operations
>> New platform, 1A, being built on west side of station
>> New skywalk
>> On west side of Platform 1A
>> Connects north end of existing ROB to the new FOB at Kurla end
>> One at the Kurla end
>> One at the south end of existing road overbridge
Subhash Gupta, Yatri Sangh Mumbai
âThe Harbour line has long needed infrastructure upgrades. The new foot overbridges and skywalk should also improve passenger movement and reduce bottlenecks'
Vishal Shah, daily commuter
âGTB Nagar gets crowded during peak hours. Infrastructure is as important as long trains. Wider foot overbridges and better connectivity will make commuting safer and more convenient'
Shailesh Pawar, commuter activist
âExtending platforms for 15-car operations is a step in the right direction. However, the benefits will be fully realised only when harbour line services are increased in proportion to the added capacity. Infrastructure and service frequency must go hand in hand'
Pravin Gole, railway commuter
âThe new Platform 1A, skywalk and additional FOBs are long-awaited improvements. They should help disperse crowds more efficiently, particularly during rush hours, while making the station better equipped for future passenger growth'
Rakesh Jangam, Railway Passenger Association representative
âGTB Nagar is one of the busiest stations on the Harbour line. This project is not just about accommodating 15-car trains one day; it is about creating a safer, more commuter-friendly station with improved circulation and reduced congestion'
Six metres
Width of two new bridges
330 metres
Length of platform 1A
